unexpectedly and without law
by VickyVicarious
Summary: Klavier Gavin and Larry Butz start fake-dating. And then feelings happen. [Klavier/Larry]


Title from the D. H. Lawrence quote: "Love is the flower of life, and blossoms unexpectedly and without law, and must be plucked where it is found, and enjoyed for the brief hour of its duration."

Written in response to a prompt just for fun, but I actually started to unexpectedly kind of ship them as I wrote this, so.

* * *

"All I want is for the next headline about me to be a shallow rumor again," Klavier confessed miserably. His words were a little slurred, and he was listing over onto Apollo's shoulder a bit, but the misery in his voice was unmistakable. It had definitely been bringing down the mood of the celebration, at least until Apollo and Phoenix had dragged him outside to cool off while waiting for a ride. "Instead of yet another person I care for being murdered or murdering people."

Apollo winced, awkward with the sudden reminder that Klavier had feelings that extended beyond smug humor or obnoxious charm. They were sort of friendly acquaintances, yeah, and he knew Klavier cared deeply about the law and all, but still... He didn't really know how to handle this misery bared open to the air.

Phoenix, on the other hand, looked suddenly very thoughtful. He watched Klavier through narrowed eyes for a long moment. "...you know," he said finally, an odd sort of gleam in his eyes, "I think I know just how to help you with that, Gavin."

"Anything," Klavier said, a little too vehemently. Apollo had to grab him by the arm to keep him from toppling over as he gestured at the air. "I don't care, I'll take _anything_. But the band. The band is... 's done."

"Yeah, sure," Phoenix said. He leaned in closer, and lowered his voice conspiratorially: "How about dating a guy?"

"Brilliant," was the wide-eyed response, "Yes. _Brilliant_."

Apollo had deep misgivings about all of this. Namely because - "You aren't thinking _me_ are you," he hissed at his boss as a red sportscar pulled up to the curb in front of them. "Because I'm straight, first of all, and even if I weren't, _no_."

"Don't be ridiculous, Apollo," Phoenix said as he came over to help support the drunken prosecutor to the car, in that self-satisfied tone his employees had learned to dread, "I've got someone much better in mind."

-xxx-

"You can't be serious, ja?" Klavier said more than asked. He had a splitting headache, and little recollection of the night before, but even so he was fairly certain he had not agreed to _this_.

"Yeah, Nick, I thought you said this guy would be the perfect dude to test out being gay with! He doesn't look nearly flashy enough!" The man had spiked hair, a garish orange jacket, and a dramatic pout. Also, his voice was possibly the most grating thing Klavier had ever _heard_.

"Normally he's way more flashy," Phoenix assured his friend, before turning to Klavier and defending, "you sure seemed interested in the idea last night."

"...Besides, I'm not saying you should actually _date_ ," he added when that got him no response besides a flat glare. "Just fake it, you know. For the cameras. I've got a journalist contact who can get a 'scandalous' photo of you two holding hands or whatever. Next thing you know, the tabloids are going crazy with the 'news', lots of headlines, and Larry, all the ladies will know you're unavailable so they'll stop trying to break your heart." This last was said with some heavy sarcasm that the man in question seemed to miss entirely.

"Are you sure?" he asked worriedly. "Some chicks really dig forbidden fruit! And besides, look at this guy's hair, what if they think he's actually a girl? My heart can't take that, Nick!"

"Mein Gott," Klavier muttered, rubbing at his temples.

"Gesundheit!" Larry told him brightly.

Phoenix smiled brightly at Klavier. "You two will make such a cute couple."

He bolted before Klavier could retort, leaving the two men standing awkwardly in the foyer, staring at each other. Leaving Klavier alone to break the news that he had no intention of complying with this ridiculous scheme.

He sighed, then opened his mouth. "I-"

"You really don't look very flashy at all," Larry accused. "You look hungover. Are you hungover?! I have a _great_ cure for that, but Nick never lets me give it to him, just because it's green. Wait, let me make it, you can tell him how good it is. The kitchen is down here, right?"

By the time Klavier's muzzy brain had processed so many words shouted so eagerly in his direction, Larry was already fiddling with his blender and raiding his fridge, and it was easier just to sink into a chair and let him do what he wanted. He was like a force of nature - a ridiculous, melodramatic, foolish, outspoken, head-turning, _eye-catching_ force of nature.

By the time Klavier had been forced to drink some of Larry's putrid green hangover sludge (which, appallingly, _worked_ ), he'd decided to go along with the scheme. For a little while, at least. Until Professor Courte was no longer fresh in anyone's minds.

He couldn't take another one of those headlines. Anything would be better - even this Larry.

-xxx-

"Are you sure you couldn't go flashier?" Larry asked. They were strolling down a path by Gourd Lake, holding hands and pretending not to hear the loud clicks of the camera from the bushes. Wright's journalist contact was certainly... thorough.

"Am I not convincing enough as a gay man, Herr Butz?" Klavier asked. He attempted to make the question sound flirty, charming. To his ears it just came out a little peeved.

"Nah, not really. I mean, Nick and Edgey are gay together and Edgey wears a _lot_ of frills," Larry said. For a long moment, Klavier couldn't decide what he hated most about that sentence - the awkward 'gay together' phrasing, the unwanted information about his boss's personal life, or the implication that he was required to be the necessary 'fancy' one out of the two of them.

Damn Wright. This was probably all some twisted form of petty revenge.

"Perhaps this will change your mind, _mein Schnuckel_ ," he retorted, and turned Larry swiftly into a kiss.

It was soft, short, and honestly not bad. Not particularly good, either, but not bad.

"Ehh, I guess that _was_ pretty gay," Larry conceded as they broke apart. He was entirely unruffled, which kind of annoyed Klavier. "Still think some frills would help, though."

From the bushes, the camera went _CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK-CLICK._

-xxx-

"Now, that's none of your business, is it?" Klavier winked at the reporters.

"Yeah, he's my sweetie-pie!" Larry proclaimed loudly. "My one and only! My snookums, my one true love! You can't understand how happy he makes me! I even left girls for him! There's just no one else like my Klavvy!"

("What the hell did you do?" Apollo Justice asked, staring at the magazine in his hands with a mixture of horror and admiration. Trucy had locked herself in Phoenix's office blaring Gavinners music and sometimes kicking things. Athena wouldn't stop laughing. It was pure chaos.

"I think I'm framing this," Phoenix said, and snatched the magazine to hold the photo of Larry and Klavier smooching up to the light. "Yeah. I'm definitely framing this.")

-xxx-

"So you became an artist."

"Yeah, I wanted to totally reinvent myself! So I went up to the mountains and left girls behind and made myself a totally new identity, Laurice Deauxnim."

"Sounds... exciting."

"Yeah! Well, not really," Larry shrugged, taking a somewhat morose bite out of his Samurai Dog. "It kinda tanked. I couldn't run away from who I really am, not for long."

"Some people can," Klavier said, thinking of Kristoph, of Daryan.

"Well not me!" Larry bragged, thumb to his puffed-out chest. "I'm the most honest guy you'll ever meet!"

"...We're lying to everyone, Schnuckel."

"Shut up! That doesn't count! This is about protecting our hearts from being stomped on again!"

"You shut up," Klavier mumbled, but his smile didn't feel quite as fake as it should.

-xxx-

"I'm not one for idle gossip, Gavin, but these continued reports of your recent company are... concerning."

"Hm?" Klavier asked.

"He means your _beau_ ," Simon smirked. The term was strangely more embarrassing than 'boyfriend' would have been.

"Yes, Larry," Edgeworth confirmed. "I simply wish to warn you. Things around Larry have a way of rapidly spiraling out of control, catching fire, and then exploding very dramatically."

Simon snorted. Klavier darted a glare at him.

" _Danke_ ," He told his boss. "I think we'll be just fine."

Edgeworth adjusted his glasses, unimpressed. "We had a phrase in grade school. 'When something stinks, it's usually the Butz.'"

"Thanks," Klavier said again. "Good to know."

He felt a little irritated for some reason. All the more when Edgeworth just sighed and shook his head.

On their date that night, he kissed Larry a second time. Longer than before.

-xxx-

"You made this... for me?"

"Remember last week, when you played that song for me?" Larry air-guitared inelegantly for a moment before flinging his arm out at his creation once more. "I just got so inspired! My artist's soul was crying out to capture the moment!"

"But this," Klavier stopped. He felt strangely awkward, somehow a little helpless. "But this must have taken hours."

"Three days!" Larry laughed proudly. "You love it, don't you? I knew you would! That's why I worked night and day until it was finished!"

Klavier reached a hand to tentatively trace the shining gleam of red paint covering the guitar sculpture's surface. It was a beautiful piece of art: the detail was exquisite, nearly an exact match of his favorite guitar. It looked almost functional, like he could pick it up and play a song right now.

"It's a music box too, see?" Larry beamed, and turned the top tuning peg several times. It made a quiet cranking sound, and when he released it, hidden speakers behind the 'strings' began to play the acoustic instrumental version of 'Guilty Love'.

"But _why_?" Klavier asked, touched more than he could say. No one had ever done anything like this for him, none of the girls he'd dated and certainly none of his friends or family. Nothing so huge as this, so utterly unprompted and thoughtful.

"I... well, yeah," Larry muttered, scratching awkwardly at his head. "I dunno. It's just what I do? I'm just so full up with love, I have to show it somehow! ...Or something."

"We're not even really dating," Klavier pointed out, very quietly.

"Yeah, I know," Larry said, equally subdued. "Whatever man, if you don't want it you can just say so-"

"No!" Klavier reached out and grabbed Larry's hand before it could get to the music box sculpture. His thumb grazed against Larry's palm as he pulled it back slowly, not letting go. The air felt too quiet.

"I want it very much."

-xxx-

"I can't believe you're actually dating that moron," Ema Skye sniffed dismissively the next time she saw Klavier. "Do you even know how many times he's made a mess out of things?"

"How many, Fraulein Detective?" Klavier asked. Normally her irritation amused him, but today he felt a little bit reckless, a little angry.

"Every single time," she emphasized. "He's a complete _dumbass_ \- which I guess is perfect for a fop like you, after all."

"Well, at least he has never failed the most important exam of his life," Klavier found himself saying, cold and harsh and _petty_. All the more since he knew she wasn't exactly lying. He'd heard the stories from Larry himself, had seen the man in action - he _was_ a fool. He was impulsive, overenthusiastic, crass, sometimes misguided, and just not that smart. Still - " _multiple times_."

Ema gasped in speechless outrage, and Klavier made his escape before she could recover and start pelting him with Snackoos.

...still, Larry had perhaps the biggest heart of anyone he'd ever known. He was always genuine, true to himself. He didn't ever hide what he was feeling, there were no secrets with him. Maybe he wasn't conventionally smart, or even traditionally attractive, but he had this certain charm to him regardless - he was so _giving_ , so kind in his way, sometimes he even felt _magnetic_.

The Detective didn't know what she was talking about.

("Nick, ol' buddy... I think I'm in over my head."

"Larry, I told you to stop playing poker with Trucy, she's learned from the best and you-"

"Not that! Well also that but I'm talking about Klavvy!"

"Klavv- uh. What about him?"

" _Nick_ , you've gotta help me. I think. I think he really did turn me gay!")

-xxx-

Klavier was in the middle of composing the chorus of a new song - the band may be done but he'd been feeling very inspired lately - when the door to his office was unceremoniously flung open and Phoenix Wright of all people strode into the room.

He sighed, and put down his guitar. "Herr Wright, what an unexpected pleasure."

"Ehh," Phoenix said, making a slightly dismissive gesture with a hand. Klavier greatly regretted having unintentionally wronged the man, but it had been well-meant and justified. This juvenility, nearly eight years later, was getting a little ridiculous.

"Well, unexpected," he said courteously, instead of any of that. "I don't think we're working on any of the same cases...?"

"No, no, this isn't about work," Phoenix said. He sighed, kind of impatiently. "This is about Larry."

"Ah." Klavier didn't say anything else. He felt a sudden weight in his stomach.

"I've noticed the headlines dying down lately," Phoenix blurted. "Seems like you two aren't much news anymore."

"Yes, that does happen after a while," Klavier admitted. "Especially since the Gavinners are no longer together."

"Right."

There was a long pause. Klavier fiddled with his guitar, tuning it needlessly.

"So why are you still dating," Phoenix said flatly.

There was that weight in his stomach, getting heavier. Klavier swallowed, but didn't say anything.

"I mean," Phoenix went on, sounding a little irritated now, "you don't really need him anymore. You got what you want, so why haven't you - cut the cord?"

He made a little snipping motion in midair with his fingers. Klavier felt a bit sick.

"Well," he said. But he couldn't - "...why hasn't he?"

Phoenix was glaring.

"Look. Larry is _sensitive_ ," he snapped. "Can you just be kind and break it off nicely now?"

"Why doesn't he?" Klavier asked again. Something about the way the lawyer had said 'sensitive' had him really wanting to know. Something about the protective edge to Phoenix's voice. He really, really wanted to know.

"Larry isn't going to break up with you, okay? You have to do it."

"What if I don't?"

"Dammit, Gavin!" Phoenix roared. The shout was so vehement and so strong that Klavier jumped, guitar nearly falling off his lap. The blue-suited man looked absolutely _furious_ now, and somehow guilty. "I didn't think you were like this! I know your brother - I didn't think _you_ would find it fun to play games with a guy's heart like that! ...I can't believe I set you guys up."

Klavier ignored the last muttered comment, and the stinging comparison to his brother, in favor of - "Play games with... Larry's heart?"

"He actually _likes_ you," Phoenix hissed. "God knows how, I didn't think he could ever actually look away from women for longer than maybe a week, but he really likes you. So would you just - do the decent thing and break up with the man before you lead him on any more?"

Klavier opened his mouth, but nothing came out.

His throat felt thick. He swallowed. Looked over at the red guitar (music box) in the corner. Remembered the graze of Larry's palm under his, the warm chaste press of his lips.

"I don't want to," he said, and his voice sounded very far away.

"Are you really that big of a di- ...wait," Phoenix was staring at him, looking utterly bewildered. Klavier wasn't sure why at first. "You're grinning."

So he was.

"I don't want to break up with Larry," he told Phoenix again, realizing the truth of the words as he spoke them, marveling at them. He felt giddy. More than a little ridiculous.

"You actually like him too," Phoenix said. He sounded as amazed as Klavier felt. "You - wow. Seriously?"

"Ja," Klavier said, nodding slowly and then more firmly. "Ja, I do."

"What. This is so weird. I - really?"

"Really."

"Okay... then, uh. Be happy?" Phoenix started stumbling backwards to the door. "I'm just gonna go somewhere - else. _...Wow._ "

Klavier waved him out, and picked up his guitar again. He couldn't get the grin off his face. He felt - really, so very _giddy_. He felt inspired. He felt eager, suddenly, to see Larry again. They didn't have another date scheduled for three days, but his fingers were itching to pick up the phone -

"Oh, hi Larry," he heard Phoenix say from the hallway. "You'll wanna get in there. I'll. Uh. Talk later? Bye!"

"You're weird sometimes, Nick," Larry said. Klavier bolted to his feet and put his guitar down on the desk. Swiftly, he stepped over to the red music box and wound it up. By the time Larry stepped into the room, 'Guilty Love' was playing, low and soft and sweet.

Klavier didn't feel guilty.

"Schnuckel," he said in greeting, the once-sarcastic endearment now falling from his lips all too naturally. He didn't hold back, didn't even try to - he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Larry's lips, firm and confident. Warm, when Larry kissed back just as easily. Assured.

 _Good_.

"Klavvy," Larry grinned when they pulled apart (and alright, that nickname was still awful). "Missed you. Wanna get dinner?"

"Ja," Klavier told him, and took his hand. "Absolutely."


End file.
